This is a discussion on Auto Lighting thread : Post all queries about automobile lighting here within Modifications & Accessories, part of the Under the Hood category; Originally Posted by bkc
Confused between, nightbreakers and extremevision .
I think they are comparable - two different stables Osram ...

I think they are comparable - two different stables Osram and Philips. Just try and check they are non-Chinese, if you have an option. I personally trust Osram a bit more. My own Brio is running on NB+ since 2012/13 (it is an October purchase).

I think they are comparable - two different stables Osram and Philips. Just try and check they are non-Chinese, if you have an option. I personally trust Osram a bit more. My own Brio is running on NB+ since 2012/13 (it is an October purchase).

I already placed an order for x-treme vision, reading reviews on AMAZON; ordered a pair with same-day delivery, would install back the 90/100 during highway drives as it is just a 10 minutes job to fit the headlights.

How is the quality of the retrofit and wiring done by XenonPlanet? Do they do a clean wiring with proper heatshrink tube insulation and copper tape, and good sealing of the headlights?

Yes, Xenon Planet have very good quality projectors on sale. I have bought Mini Super and XP Micro fog projector from them. Xenon Planet doesn't have any dealers. They operate through their team members in various cities. I have heard that few guys are selling low grade stuff by using Xenon Planet name. So I advice everyone to be careful and contact Xenon Planet directly on their website or FB page.

As I mentioned before, they use OEM type butyl rubber sealant for resealing. You can contact Mr. Shyam Hegde, Bangalore for more details. He has very good experience on retrofits and would provide good installation.

Electrical Warranty wouldn't be void because Xenon Planet do not cut any stock wiring. You would lose the warranty for headlights though, as they need to be opened for retrofit. Headlight warranty is for manufacturing defects, moisture/water inside headlight etc. You do not need to worry about it because Xenon Planet uses OEM type butyl rubber sealant for resealing the headlights.

I tend to agree, but they will look at any excuse to refuse a warranty claim, howsoever illogical it may be. You can then argue till the cows come home. You are stuck, and an individual against a corporation.

I tend to agree, but they will look at any excuse to refuse a warranty claim, howsoever illogical it may be. You can then argue till the cows come home. You are stuck, and an individual against a corporation.

Depends on dealer to dealer.

Yes, you are right. If you have good rapport with Service guys, then really not an issue even for things like remap . But in this case, no stock wiring is tampered and everything is plug and play.

@keeru; I will be quite happy with 35W 4300K (or 3900K) HID with a decent Canbus AC Ballast. All I can say is that do not go above 4300K. My son has 4300K, 35W projectors in his City and they are good.

I have captured few videos of the output. It's really good and I am very satisfied. There is huge difference compared to stock halogen setup. My phone camera has not done full justice. It looks little more brighter

Finally installed Philips Rally 90/100W which I recently got from Amazon.
Great light I must say. 30`35% improvement over Hella and around 10% over Osram Rally 90/100W.
Had to do some Horizontal alignment, but its awesome now. I think I got 90%+ type of set up I desired for. Shall stick with it for long time now. Fortunately, hunt for better light set up is over. Low beam is strong enough for moderate speed cruising.

My mobile camera doesn't do much justice to sheer amount of light these bulbs throw.

Anybody here using HID's on their Skoda Rapid that came with projectors? My friend is having few questions and am posting them on his behalf. Would like to get some first hand experiences from others.

1) Skoda Rapid 2014 projector headlamps good enough for HIDs? He had done some research and came to know that they are halogen projectors.

2) If so, is there a need to change it HID projectors?

3) Already running 4600k 55w HIDs. Any need to change that?

Since high beam is normal halogen, his requirement is better fall/range of low beam projector.

On my advise, he had upgraded to HIDs from halogens but even so, he isnt completely satisfied with it. I have now asked him to swap the projectors (morimoto). Asked me to see if I can get some advise from other Rapid owners so that he can plan his next move.

On my advise, he had upgraded to HIDs from halogens but even so, he isnt completely satisfied with it. I have now asked him to swap the projectors (morimoto). Asked me to see if I can get some advise from other Rapid owners so that he can plan his next move.

Do pour your suggestions.

What HIDs is he using currently? And why is he not satisfied with it? Is the output less than what he expects?

It is usually better to use a Aux light set-up. In that way, any changes are reversible.

Also LED's or CREE's are for short distance lighting - if one is concerned about long term lighting (or throw as they call it), the best option which is true and tested (as used in WRC and Dakar rallys) are HID Aux Lights

Am also thinking about LED's rather than a projector swap if that's recommended.

Here's his quote - "Night output is average. If there's light from opposite vehicle or street light, I cant see my HID lights at all".

A HID setup in a halogen projector will not provide the same output as a HID setup in a HID projector as the halogen projector would be designed for the hot spot from a halogen light. The hot spot from a HID bulb would be at a different spot and a halogen projector will not provide the full output of the HID. So, for a proper HID setup, you will have to replace the halogen projector to a HID projector.

In terms of light output, a properly done projector setup would be miles ahead of a halogen setup. If you take this option, then you have two choices.

Option-1 would give you several advantages like reliability, clean install and perfect sealing. But this will be a very expensive option - the cost could be more than a lakh.

Option-2 is to go for a projector retrofit. There are many risks with a projector retrofit - proper sealing of headlights after the retrofit, alignment of the projectors, projector failure due to bad quality check, messy wiring inside the engine bay, to name a few. I have summarized all these issues that I faced with my projector setup in the below post.

As I have gone through all the headaches associated with a projector retrofit, my recommendation in the order of preference would be:

1. OEM projector headlights
2. Aux lights. As Raikkonen mentioned, this is the next best option, as any changes are easily reversible.
3. Swap the halogen bulbs with LEDs (Not sure about performance though)
4. Projector retrofit. If you choose this option, go for projectors that have good quality checks like Morimoto, or the ones from XenonPlanet (I have seen good reviews about these in terms of performance and quality, but not sure about long term reliability), choose a good installer, and make sure that all the electrical joints are properly soldered and sealed with heat shrinking tube and cotton tape.